It is known to form various types of shaped articles in a die casting operation and for which purpose, various types of die casting apparatus are used. However, such die casting operations are limited as to the geometry of the articles which can be cast therewith, principally, because known apparatus is limited to use at most of two die members and two or three cores or alternatively use of four die members without use of cores. Multiple dies, that is dies having more than one cavity, also can be used but still they are not satisfactory for producing shaped articles wherein the articles may comprise two or more structurally separate elements but which elements are interconnected. One illustration of the type of article which cannot be shaped in known die casting processes is a slider for a slide fastening and to which slider is attached a pull chain. Such casting processes and apparatus can not be used for forming the interconnected slider body and pull chain in a single casting operation.
Moreover, prior processes and apparatus generally involve use of cumbersome space-taking structure to move the die members between open and closed positions.